Rat snacking: what is the latest TikTok food trend? Here's how to know if you are a rat snacker

TikTok can inspire lots of things in our life, from the clothes we wear, to the make-up we use and also the food we eat. Now, it's not only influencing what we eat, but how we eat.

The latest TikTok food trend to dominate the social media platform in 2024 is rat snacking. It might not sound very pleasant, but apparently it's something that many of us are doing - and we might not even be aware of it. The trends girl dinner and boy dinner, which were extremely popular throughout 2023, are now gone as people instead look for a new way to fill up.

The trend has been led by Gen Z, and has led to people sharing photos and videos of their unusual food combinations online. So, what exactly is rat snacking, and what videos have been shared about this on TikTok? Read on to find out everything you need to know, and discover if you are a rat snacker.

What is rat snacking?

The name of the trend takes it's inspiration from the way that rats find food and eat; scavenging to find what food they can, often eating combinations of food that don't therefore traditionally go together, eating little and often and choosing bite-sized food combinations.

A lot of people may read that and think 'that's how everyone eats over Christmas', but this seems to be a lifestyle choice that extends far beyond the festive season for some. The reasons for it are seemingly varied; some people cite a lack of time for eating this way, others say they lack the cooking skills to make the traditional three main meals a day, and others simply prefer to eat less but more frequently.

The result of this food habit is that people have ended up eating some bizarre combinations of food as they search out easy, quick and convenient ways to stop the hunger pangs. There is no wrong way to create and enjoy a rat snack because what defines a good rat snack is individual to each person - and by it's nature it is supposed to be a little unusual. The idea is as long as it brings you joy that's all that matters - even if others think it sounds or tastes weird.

What rat snacking videos have been shared on TikTok?

A number of videos about rat snacking have been shared on TikTok. Rat snackers have proudly shared their creations under the #ratsnack hashtag on TikTok, which have 12.6 million views at the time of writing - and that number is growing.

One woman, who goes by the handle @NaughtyFork, claimed to have made a rat snack that tastes like a cheeseburger - by layering cheddar cheese, a pickle, ketchup and mustard on top of an original Pringle.

Another person put apple and cinamon on toast - and then topped the creation with slices of processed cheese, to make what she called the most "super unhinged random rat snack".

Another woman puts covers cauliflour in cheese and chilli sauce and cooks it in her airfryer for a few minutes. Cheese appears to be a common ingredient in rat snacks.

One man, however, said that his preferred rat snack of choice was a little simpler - he likes to cook a carrot in his airfryer until it's super crispy. Another woman just likes to eat squares of chocolate sandwiched between salted crisps to get both a sweet and salty hit at the same time.

It’s clear the quirky food trend has gained promience not only among social media users, but also among the food and drink industry it's even been mentioned in Waitrose’s annual food and drink report.

The report read: "Those aged 18-24 are the group who snack the most frequently and social media is awash with people showing plates of artfully arranged snacks, kicking off one of this year’s most weirdest-sounding trends for #ratsnacks – the unashamed joy of eating unusual snack combos (that only you enjoy!) often made from raiding the kitchen cupboards."